Infection
by Mr. Blender
Summary: <html><head></head>She should have known. The moment those lips touched to hers, she was infected by the darkness inside. Now, the rose's innocence is being consumed by fire, with no chance of escape. When the light finally comes to rescue her... Will it be too late to save what's left?</html>
1. Chapter 1

"But, Yaaang…" comes a soft whine from Ruby as she moves up to her sister with slightly pleading eyes, tugging softly on the sleeve of the girl's uniform. "You promised that we'd hang out after classes got finished… Just a sister an' sister thing…"

Yang sends her disappointed sister an apologetic glance, moving forward to give the redhead a gentle ruffle to her short hair. The motion causes the red-clad girl to groan and bat at the tanned hands that make a mess of her hair, accompanied by a grumble of 'Yang, stop.. I'm not a kid anymore' that makes the blonde smile. "I know, I know... But, I'm really flounderin' in History a' the Kingdoms and I gotta get caught up… An' you're never too old to get your hair ruffled by your big sis."

"I-I am, too! It's embarrassing, Yang!" Ruby says with a pout, raising her eyebrow slowly. "And, you're studying with Blake… You're just gonna end up doing the kissy thing and not get anything done… Just like you always do…"

"Hey! Have some faith in your big sis, Rubes! Blake's a History whiz and she's given me very strict instructions that I am to have my mind completely on my work an' not on goofing off. " Yang says, leaning down to give the pouting girl a gentle kiss on the forehead. "Promise, promise, PROMISE, when this is all done, you an' me'll go out for a whole day to anywhere ya wanna go."

"Anywhere?"

"Anywhere."

Ruby taps a finger to her lips, an expression of consideration on her face as she mulls over her sister's words. She DID say anywhere.. "The Cookie Shoppe?"

"Gotcha covered."

"Arms N' Ammunition?"

"Sure, I need some rounds for Ember Celica, anyway."

"That pizza place I like that you don't?"

"Aw, man, not that one with the animatronic bear… That place freaks the hell outta me…" Yang mumbles, a shiver going down her spine momentarily. "But, if ya really want to… I guess I can summon my courage to step inside the place… Gotta make sure my sis is happy, right?"

"I wasn't really going to make you go there, Yang. I know you hate that place. I was just seeing if you would~"

Yang blinks a few times before a grin comes to her face, her form slowly advancing upon her little sister as the redhead's eyes widen in horror as she realizes the blonde's intentions. "No, Yang! No, no, NO!"

Before the cloaked girl can get away, her sister tackles her to Weiss' bed and begins to mercilessly tickle her. Ruby shrieks in laughter, the childlike sound filling the room like a refreshing breeze. "Try to mess with your sister, eh? Be adorable while you're doin' it, eh? That's a crime of the highest offense, Rubble!"

"Haha! Yang, ha! Stop! I give, I give! Ahaha! White flaaaag!" Ruby laughs, gasping for breath as she squirms around.

"I don't think you've got enough punishment, yet!"

By the time Blake and Weiss come into the dorm room, discussing some manner of grades for a test, Yang has Ruby locked in a headlock and is making a complete mess of her red hair with a ferocious noogie. The redhead currently has a fistful of Yang's hair (as Ruby is one of the very few she will ever let treat her hair in that manner), yanking it in an attempt to get her sister off.

"What are you imbeciles doing, now?" Weiss asks in annoyance, though the redness of Ruby's cheeks seem to soften her words just a tad (as well as turn her own cheeks a gentle pink). "Don't you two have something better to do than destroy the room?"

"Yes, she does. Yang, we should get going. The sooner we get the material in your head, the better off you'll be." Blake says, causing the blonde to sigh and release her sister from her grasp.

"Promise that we'll have a sister's day real soon, okay?" Yang says, giving Ruby a big smile. "Alright?"

Ruby nods slowly and sighs, earning her a kiss to the forehead from her sister. "Go get your studying done, Yang. Do your best, okay?"

"Sure thing, Rubes." Yang says as she gives the redhead a thumb's up and walks over to Blake, raising an eyebrow. "Ya ready to teach me a thing or two, kitty?"

"As long as you're ready to learn a thing or two, Yang. And, don't think I'm going to cut you any slack because you're my girlfriend. You're coming to me for help and I take that seriously." Blake says sternly, voicing everything she says clearly. "Am I clear?"

"Man, I love it when you take charge."

"Come on, you big idiot, let's get down to the library." Blake says with a sigh, grabbing ahold of Yang's hand to lead her out the door.

As the door clicks slowly shut, Ruby watches Weiss move from where she had been standing and towards the desk against the wall. She slowly sidles up next to the heiress, offering a big smile. "Sooo… Whatcha doing, Weiss? Do you want to hang out or something?" She asks sweetly, her voice filled with hope.

Weiss slowly looks up to meet her partner's eyes, sparkling silver meeting a bright blue. "I… regrettably, am going to be working on homework. I simply don't have the time, right now. I'm sorry, Ruby." She murmurs, her eyes drifting down to the desk.

While she DID have homework to finish, that wasn't the only reason she wasn't going with Ruby.

For some reason or other, it had become increasingly difficult for her to 'hang out' with Ruby, so to speak. Ruby filled her with strange feelings that confused her greatly, making her very uncomfortable to be around. Her instinct was to stay away, to sort out the confusion she had in her mind before she met with the redhead again. This was one of those times. She just… didn't know quite WHAT to think of these odd feelings in her, seeming to all center around the younger girl.

What Weiss didn't seem to understand was that this was making an already lonely girl just that little bit lonelier. With Yang gone, her partner being seemingly so busy and JNPR out on an all-day training session, Ruby didn't really have a lot of people to talk to.

She still wasn't the greatest at just going up and talking to people, preferring to stick to her small circle of friends rather than broaden her horizons.

The crimson girl sighs and moves slowly away, a small frown on her face. "We never get to hang out, anymore… No one does." She mumbles quietly, her head lowering as her hood is pulled over her head.

She moves to the door and looks back at Weiss, her voice a little more audible as she speaks. "I'll just go find something to do on my own, then. Hope you get done with your homework, soon… When you do… Come find me, okay?"

"I… I will." Weiss replies, giving a small smile to the redhead.

With that, Ruby moves out of the room and into the hallway with another tiny sigh. Weiss can't help but sigh, herself, her head bowing slightly. "I'm sorry, Ruby… This is just so confusing to me.." She murmurs, gently tapping her pen on the desk. "Why do I feel this way? I don't… understand…"

She's silent for a moment as she thinks of Ruby and her sweet smile, ashamed to find a heat coming to her cheeks as confusing feelings clench at her chest. She slaps her hand hard on the desk in annoyance, her eyes shut tightly.

"Get it together, Schnee. You are the most intelligent girl of your generation, a prodigy in all manner of written languages and important knowledge! You have the highest grades in Beacon's history and are well on your way to graduating Summa Cum Laude! Surely you can sort your emotions out with ease. Surely! S-Start with a simple question. What DO you think of Ruby Rose?"

She pinches her temple and groans lowly, the mere phrasing of the question promising a rough time.

Ruby looks down the long hallway with a somewhat sad expression, her boots plodding along on the ground in heavy thumps. This day, which was supposed to be an awesome day, was turning out to be a very crappy day. Neither her sister nor Blake could be with her today (then again.. with them smooching and cuddling all the time, neither of them ever seemed to have the time, anyway), Weiss was maintaining a seeming week-long trend of not hanging out with her, all her homework was done, and she was a sad mixture of bored and lonely. She could try to go to all the places she and Yang were going to go today, but she didn't want to just go alone.

"I guess I'll just wander around… Because that's so much fun…" She mumbles as she walks through the hallway. "I can deal with it. I don't need to be around people to have fun!"

"Yes, but where is the excitement in wandering around doing nothing.. if you have no one to do that nothing with?" comes a voice from behind her, a smooth, velvety voice that brims with something Ruby can't place. Turning around reveals a familiar ebony-haired woman slowly walking up behind her as she carries a book, her amber eyes locking upon silver when their gazes meet.

"Hey, Cinder…" Ruby says with a slight smile, recognizing her from the day she (literally) ran into her and her friends upon their first meeting. They hadn't talked much since then, but the scythe wielder had seen her around Beacon. She had certainly been friendly whenever she DID talk to her, though.

"Ruby." Cinder replies with a nod of her head, slowly closing the distance between them. Her face shows a slight interest when hears Ruby's less-than-enthusiastic response, an eyebrow raising. "What's wrong? You're usually a good deal more cheerful than this, from what I've seen of you around Beacon…"

"Yeah. I'm just having a bad day, I guess. Everyone's got stuff to do and I… Well, I don't. Just kinda bored… Me and my sister were supposed to go out and have a 'sister an' sister' day, but she had to get help with her studies with Blake and they're probably just gonna end up doing the kissy thing and…" Ruby says, trailing off with a small blush, not quite knowing why she's telling this to a girl she's barely met.

"How unfortunate." Cinder says with a gentle smile, her head tilting slightly and sending a splash of black hair down her uniform. "To get your hopes up for something, just to have things go the opposite way…"

"I know! I was really looking forward to it, too! We haven't just hung out together in so long! And, don't even get me started on Weiss! She's, like, avoiding me for some reason! I mean, would it kill her to just go for a little walk with me so we can talk about stuff? Is that so hard-"

"Looks like I broke the dam…" The ember eyed woman says with a quiet laugh, a gentle, attractive sound that pauses Ruby's ranting.

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. It sounds to me like you're a little frustrated and in need of some attention. Is that true?" The woman asks in a gentle tone, causing an odd tingling at the redhead's spine and a slight warm feeling to come to her cheeks.

"I… Kinda…"

"Well, how about this, then? Why don't you take me to the places you and your sister were going to go? I know I may not be what you wanted, but I have no problems with accompanying you, if you like. So you aren't so alone…"

"What? You would? You would spend the whole day with me? But… You barely even know me…"

"I suppose that's true… But, I don't like seeing such a pretty girl looking as sad as you do." Cinder says with a small sigh, looking away for a moment before gazing back to Ruby. "Call it a weakness of mine, but I don't like seeing people looking like that… Worse, having to deal with it all on their own. The choice is yours, of course. I was merely offering a suggestion."

Ruby blinks a few times in surprise, not believing her luck. At the time when she had felt the loneliest, someone had offered to take the time out of their whole day just to spend time with her. Someone with such a kind face and a gentleness that few possessed… Maybe fate had brought her a new friend…

"No, I would… I would love to go around with you! I don't know if you'd like some of the places, though… I'm kind of… childish in my favorite places. Sometimes I wish I wasn't.." Ruby admits with a wince, internally cursing herself for liking such kiddy things.

"No worries. I'm a bit of a kid, myself. It's always good to retain a bit of your inner child every now and again, isn't it? Not everyone can, you know…"

Ruby smiles and nods quickly, her hands clasping together excitedly as her mood is lifted somewhat. "That's what my big sis always says! She goes like 'Rubes, everyone's gotta be a lil' childish, sometimes. 'Cus bein' a stick in the mud ain't gonna get you anywhere in life. Certainly ain't gonna make you happy. You're the furthest away from stick in the mud you can get, lil' sis. Don't ever let go of you inner child.' and stuff like that."

"Hm. Your sister is very wise, if nothing else."

"Yeah, she's smart at some things… Pep talks? Yeah! History? Better left unsaid. She'd probably kill me if I told you what her grade was…"

"I can only imagine." Cinder says with a chuckle, walking Ruby a bit. "Just let me drop my book off at my room and I'll be free for the day…"

"Okay!"

* * *

><p>What followed was a day of epic proportions, a day that managed to lift Ruby's spirit from its previous low. Cinder had kept her word and gone to every one of the places she had wanted to go, providing gentle comfort wherever they went. Not only that, but she had enjoyed it, too! To say that she had hit it off with Cinder would be the understatement of the year.<p>

"That certainly is an evil-looking bear…" Cinder muses aloud as she bites the tip off the slice of pizza on her plate. The cheese stretches out as she pulls it back, out into a strand much longer than the woman seemed to like. A quick gnash of her teeth took care of that particular dilemma.

"Yeah, Yang's pretty scared of it. But, this place has the best pizza anywhere! Even if it IS for kids, y'know?" Ruby giggles as she munches on her pizza, her feet slightly kicking under the table they were sitting at. "What do you think?"

"It's certainly better than what you would expect from a place like this." The amber-eyed woman replies, glancing at the animatronic bear as it moves around and sings some manner of song in the background. "Though, I understand why one might find this place… odd."

"Yeah… So, um, you want to head back? This was the last place I was going to go, today… It's getting kinda late, too."

"I suppose. Unless you wanted to go somewhere a little more… adult? I know you said that you wanted to go somewhere less childish, earlier."

Ruby blushes a little, not quite knowing what Cinder means by 'adult', and tilts her head curiously. "Uh… Sure! A-After all, you spent the whole day following me around. The least I could do is go somewhere you wanna go, too! What did you have in mind?"

"You'll see when we get there, Ruby…" Cinder says with a smile, her voice dipping into that tone that makes the redhead confused and shivery.

'Wow.. She's really pretty when she smiles like that..' Ruby finds herself thinking, the small blush on her face slowly heating up. Not to mention, Cinder had changed out of her uniform when she got to her dorm. She was wearing a very beautiful black and red dress, one that seemed to outline her perfectly. Not to mention, it was showing quite a bit of her beautifully formed collarbone, even dipping down into- Whoa, whoa, whoa! Eyes up, Ruby! It's weird to look at someone like that! "O-Okay, just… Haha… Lead the way."

Before she knows it, however, she finds that Cinder has leaned forward and is now dangerously close to the blushing girl's face. "There's a good girl…" She whispers lowly, her darkly painted fingernails gently tapping the table. "You'll love this, I promise."

* * *

><p>Ruby could barely hear herself think over the loud thumping of the music coming from the building just in front of her, though Cinder seemed to have an eyebrow raised with interest as she looked at the source of the noise. "Have you ever been to a club, Ruby?"<p>

"My sister has… She said they were boring… Um, are they always this loud?"

"Hm." Cinder laughs, her amber eyes moving back to look at the crimson girl beside her. "Of course, that's how you know that it's a good one.."

"Oh.." She mumbles, looking up at the rather intimidating bouncer at the door. The man looks down at her with a glare, his broad face turned downward in disapproval.

"You ain't near old enough for this club, kid. Hell, you don't look past fifteen. Nice try. Give it another shot in a couple years, pipsqueak."

The lids of Cinder's eyes slip down to half length, her eyebrow raising steadily before a smirk appears on her face. "Mm. You're being very rude to my friend, here.." She murmurs, her heels making an eerie click on the ground as she steps up to the large man.

Ruby shifts uncomfortably when the dark nail of her friend drags down the bouncer's suited chest, her mouth moving up to whisper in his ear. He gets a shocked look on his face as he looks down at Cinder, the dark-haired woman taking a few steps back to smirk at him. "Now.. What were you going to do for me and my friend?"

"I.. I was going to let you inside, ma'am. Enjoy your night."

"Mm. I will, thank you. Come, Ruby."

Ruby nods quickly and follows the clicking heels of Cinder, noticing the man let out a shaky sigh of relief and glancing back to the girl as they step through the door. They are walking down a hallway, the sounds of the frenzied beat of the music pulsing through the area. "Cinder? What did you say to that guy, exactly?"

"Hm? Oh, I simply told him that I would be watching over you. Keeping a close eye on you, so to say."

"Oh. That makes sense, I guess-"

She is immediately cut off as they enter the club, her eyes going wide at the complete assault on every one of her senses. There is so much happening, and all at once. There is a loud beat of music, blasting through the club like a pulse and seeming to sync every heartbeat in the building. There are a multitude of people all dancing in close proximity together, seeming to grind against each other in fevered contact. Her head whips to the side as she hears a moan to her left, her eyes coming in contact with a couple that is becoming VERY enthusiastic about each other. The guy's hands are going down the girl's pants, both panting and groaning as they exchange deep, heavy kisses.

Ruby blushes deeply as her eyes glance over to find another couple doing much the same a short distance away, only alcohol is involved in this particular hookup. A cat faunus and a wolf faunus, this time, hazily pawing at each other's clothes. "I-I don't know if my sister would like me being here, Cinder.. M-Maybe we should go?"

Ruby squeaks as she feels Cinder's hand wrap around her own, finding her gaze being drawn to those bright, amber eyes. They almost seem to shine in the hazy light, entrancing her.. "The same sister who also said that today would be spent with you? Hm~ Why not let loose and have a bit of fun? How about a dance?"

"A-A dance? Um, with who? Because, I don't really want to dance with any of these... sweaty people.. Oh. That.. That girl has glitter on her body.."

Cinder laughs that attractive laugh of hers, tilting her head and slowly taking Ruby's hands in her own. Their fingers intertwine slowly, the black nails on the darker woman slowly dragging the back of Ruby's hand. "I meant with me, silly. Don't worry about anyone else… Just look at me."

"I-I don't really dance very well, Cinder…"

"The technique doesn't matter, as long as you just let yourself be lost in the beat… Just do what comes naturally. I'm not a dancer, but that doesn't matter to me." Cinder whispers as she moves to Ruby's ear, slowly pulling the young girl back into the dance floor. The lights in the dull room flash across the shadows of her face, but are nothing compared to her bright eyes as they move to a darker area of the floor. The darkness seems to suit her form perfectly…

And, then she starts to dance.

It's a slow movement, her hips moving rhythmically to the thumping beat of the music around them. But, it's a movement that draws Ruby's attention completely. It's almost hypnotic in form, her body swaying with the lights that bounce around the club. It takes a few moments for Ruby to realize that she's staring again, clamping her jaw shut and awkwardly fiddling with her fingers. She's not going to look as good doing this as Cinder will, she can feel it. Not to mention she's heavily distracted by all the loud noises that flash in her ears.

Warm hands move to her own, once more, as her silver-eyed gaze meets shining amber. "Don't be afraid, Ruby. Act like I'm the only one here. You aren't scared of me… are you?"

"N-No, I…"

Her protests are cut off as Cinder tugs her forward, her lips now not even an inch away from Ruby's own. The black-haired woman smirks and licks her lips, her shining eyes glinting with the unknown. "How about a little… incentive?"

"I-I-Incentive?" Ruby starts, only to be cut off once more. This time, however, it's because Cinder's mouth is on hers, causing a surge of different emotions to come to the young redhead's mind.

She's kissing me.

Cinder's kissing me!

That thing that Yang and Blake do all the time!

Calm down, play it cool…

Wow... I… can see why they like it so much…

Not knowing exactly how to go about responding to this, she lets Cinder take the lead. As, she seems to have more experience with this than her. And, take the lead she does. Ruby finds her lips being absolutely dominated in a hungry kiss, though she has no idea whether it's supposed to be this way or not. All she can really tell is that it feels good, if the way her heart is slamming against her chest is any indication.

As quickly as it starts, it is over.

Cinder pulls away with a smirk, chuckling lowly at the small, disappointed sound that Ruby makes. The redhead is panting lightly just from that short kiss, her face more flushed than it's ever been in her life. "Liked that, did you, Ruby? Well… There will be more of that waiting for you… if you dance for me."

"I-I, okay…" Ruby mumbles with a goofy, dazed smile. She starts to slowly dance, trying her best to copy Cinder's movements from earlier. She blushes even more as she sees Cinder's eyes moving slowly up her body as she moves with the beat of the music. It's a while before Ruby can trust herself with speaking again. "Th-Thank you for.. kissing me, I..."

"I don't need the gratitude, Ruby… I enjoyed it. You're a very good kisser, you know."

"I-I, me? I didn't even do anything-"

"And, yet, you made the experience very enjoyable for me. You're not a bad dancer, either. Time I fulfill my end of the bargain, hm?"

Ruby stumbles over her feet as Cinder leads her off the dance floor and into an area of the club dark of the lights that bounce everywhere else. All Ruby sees before her lips are claimed again is the bright, glowing eyes of Cinder as she advances. It'd almost be scary if she didn't know how nice the woman was.

All she knows in this moment is the dominating kiss of Cinder, the sounds around her becoming faded and indistinct. She barely even notices her body being pressed back against a wall, the kiss becoming hotter and hotter until Ruby has to part for breath. "Haa… Haa.. C-Cinder, wow, I…"

"Take your breath, Ruby… I'm far~ from down with you…" She replies, her teeth moving to lightly tug at the smaller girl's lip. The tone makes Ruby whimper slightly, Cinder's voice so attractive as she whispers every word with heat. She yips when she feels hands sliding up her sides, soon turning into a gasp when Cinder's mouth finds her neck.

"M-Mm.." Ruby whines softly as Cinder's lips begin to suck at the pale, tender skin of her neck, causing heat to rush around her body. "C-C-Cinder, this is…"

"What adults do, Ruby… You DID want to be less childish, didn't you?" She purrs, a squeak coming from Ruby as the amber-eyed woman leaves a hot mark where she had sucked. "Or, am I to think that you don't like this?"

"N-No! C-Cinder, it's... it's great, I just… I-I feel weird about this…"

"Mm, it's called arousal, darling…"

"O-Oh… Really?" The redhead squeaks in reply, her hands covering her mouth.

"It's fine, Ruby… Hm. It's getting rather late. Why don't we pick this up another time? I would love to see you again… A date?"

"Y-Yeah! Um, h-how's tomorrow evening sound?" Ruby croaks, blushing even more now. Does this mean…? "Um, C-Cinder, does this mean that you and me are…"

"Dating? Yes. And, that sounds wonderful. Meet me in my dorm room tomorrow evening at six. Don't be late."

"O-Okay! I, wow, I have a girlfriend! I can't wait to tell Yang and my team and-"

"Why involve your sister or your team in this? The way I see it, our relationship is nothing of their concern… Why not keep it our little secret? I can promise better things to come for you, if you leave them out."

"But… I tell Yang everything…"

"Do you really think she has the time to talk to you? Why should you bother? She'd probably just brush you off to run off with Blake again, wouldn't she?"

Ruby's face falls a bit, a quiet sigh coming from her lips. "Y-Yeah… She probably would, wouldn't she? Y-You're right. I can deal with my own business!"

A kiss is Ruby's reward, along with a whisper of 'there's a good girl'.

* * *

><p>"You're getting back awful late, Cinder… What's the deal?" a dark-skinned woman asks as she looks to her leader, currently walking into the dorm room with a dark smile on her face.<p>

"I was otherwise engaged, Emerald." Cinder replies coolly, letting her heels slip off her feet as she walks.

Emerald's silver haired companion, who was vaguely reading through slightly blood-stained comic book, takes interest, his eyebrow raising. "We both know what 'otherwise engaged' means, Cinder.. So the question is… What are you up to?"

"Do you remember Ruby Rose?"

"The girl who confronted you in the tower… The one who keeps giving Torchwick trouble? Did she discover you?" Emerald asks, sitting up to look at Cinder questioningly.

"No. Far from it, actually…" Cinder replies with low amusement. "She's my girlfriend."

Mercury laughs a low, cruel laugh and relaxes back to the position he had been in before. "Heh. That poor girl doesn't know what she's gotten herself into… Let me guess, you charmed her into it?"

"It was easier than you'd expect… Young, innocent girls are often the easiest to take advantage of, don't you think? Throw in lonely and you have the nicest little mold for a pet..."

"What are you going to do with her, Cinder?" Emerald asks with a grin, tilting her head slightly.

"What am I going to do with her, Emerald?" Cinder says with a chuckle, smiling darkly.

She takes a few steps forward, her fingers shifting a rose petal retrieved from the young girl's cloak before crushing it in her hand. She lets it drop to the floor, stepping on it as she moves to her bed.

"Anything I want."


	2. Chapter 2

**I put in a nod to my favorite author somewhere in this chapter. It made me immensely happy to find a place to put it. For the author, you know who you are. :3 **

* * *

><p>Weiss had actually started to worry when the clock struck eleven and Ruby still hadn't returned home. She was nervously fiddling with the ends of her hair as she put the finishing touches on a rather long essay, icy eyes taking constant looks at the door. Where was that dolt? She's never been out THIS late, before. This was really pressing on her nerves, especially with how silent the room is. Save for the creaking of the chair she sits on as she shifts around, there's no other signs of life.<p>

"Just… calm down, Schnee. Calm down. She's fine, surely. She just… lost track of the time." She mutters, looking down at her essay and sighing. "Damn it. That's the fifth time you've written her name in a sentence. Get it together, Weiss."

While she had been writing, she had been thinking. Thinking of everything. She had thought about Ruby in great detail, thinking on where they should stand and what her actual feelings for the redhead were. She had come to the conclusion that her feelings were that of attraction. It was strange for her to say out loud. She was attracted to another girl. She, Weiss Schnee, was physically attracted to Ruby Rose.

Wouldn't her parents be proud?

Needless to say, she was in an entirely different situation, now. What to do with this attraction? Every time she thought of something good that could come out of pursuing a relationship with Ruby, the depressing part of her mind piped up and gave a reason why she shouldn't. She would no doubt be a wonderful lover, if she even agreed. She's beautiful, but she likely doesn't see you that way. You are attracted to her and already have a close bond, but that doesn't necessarily mean love. You could create something unique and special, or you could destroy the best friend you've ever had and reduce the relationship you DO have to absolute splinters. These conflicting ideas were turning her emotions into a battlefield, only increasing her anxiety at Ruby's increasing absence.

She jumps when the door pushes open, causing her to ask a hopeful 'Ruby?'. Unfortunately, she got the wrong sister and her face falls as she sees familiar blonde hair. Those two were known for being gone pretty late, especially when Blake was trying to get information inside Yang's highly distracted head. "Oh… Hello, Yang… Blake."

"Hey! Why the long face? I'm ain't THAT hideous, am I?" Yang says with a pout, looking over at Blake with mock offense. "I'm not, am I?"

"No, Yang. You're beautiful. Weiss was obviously expecting your sister."

"Ah, a' course. Speakin' a' which, where IS Rubble anywaaayyy…" She asks, her voice trailing off as she turns to Weiss and finds the heiress' face to be the epitome of worry. For the heiress to look like that, she must be highly worried… "Weiss…"

Blake's eyes widen as Yang's voice takes on lower, slightly huskier tone. It's a tone that Yang's voice only dips into on certain occasions, usually ones of worry and threat. Her face is completely serious, looking like a blank slate given the starting point of rising anger. "Where is my sister?"

"I-I don't know, she said she was going out for a bit and didn't come back… It's been hours since she left and I haven't a clue where she's gone…"

"What?! She didn't come back?! GONE FOR HOURS?! Well, why didn't ya look for her, ya dumbass?" Yang says with a rising voice, the worry on Weiss' face making her emotion run a little high. Weiss winces at the hard edge to the overprotective sister's tone, but says nothing to combat her words. Yang ignores Blake's soft words of reassurance and goes quickly to the door, throwing it open… to find Ruby blinking back at her. Her hand is over where the door handle would be, if it had been shut.

"Hey, Yang."

Yang stares back at her sister, unsure of whether to give her sister the biggest hug she's ever given her or to strangle her for worrying her so much. She goes with a bit of both, hugging her sister tight enough to let the redhead know how upset she is while still showing her relief to finding her safe and sound. "Where have you been, Ruby? You had us worried sick!"

"Yang! Get off me! I was with a friend, that's all!" Ruby squeaks, trying to wiggle her way out of her older sister's tight grasp.

"What friend? Why were you out so late? Ya really shouldn't be-"

Ruby finally manages to pry her sister off with some effort, frowning at the blonde with her arms crossed. "What, Yang? Actually spending time with someone else other than you? You do it, why can't I? If you can completely blow me off and stay out all hours of the night, why can't I?"

"Ruby, I wasn't blowing you off-"

"Alright, if that's true, tell me. Look me in the eyes and tell me you just studied, like you said you were going to do." She was angry. Angry at Yang for being so pushy all of a sudden. Oh, NOW she was paying attention. Cinder's words certainly had gotten to her. Yang was always too busy to listen when SHE wanted to start asking questions, why should SHE answer anything? Yang probably wouldn't even care that she wasn't a little kid, anymore. She was a grown-up girl with an adult girlfriend. A girlfriend who did more than Yang had done in a long while. "Go on, TELL me, then. If you kept your word, I guess I'll be wrong."

Yang stares at her sister with a shocked expression, seeming not to understand where this aggression was coming from. "I-I… There was a bit of kissing, but nothing…"

"And, who told me that it was 'serious work only', Yang?"

"I-I did, but…"

"And, YOU didn't keep your word, Yang. You didn't want to hang out with me and you used studying as an excuse! If you're going to cut me off, at least say it right to my face! Don't lie behind my back so you can go be with Blake, instead. I spent an entire day with someone who actually wanted to spend time with me! Sorry if I was out a lil' late, but I was having a nice time!"

"Ruby, I…"

"No, little sis is done talking. Check back later when her sister isn't chewing her out for wanting to have a nice day instead of the crappy one she was given. Heck, the crappy WEEK she's been having… Leave me alone, Yang. You're good at that. I'm going to go take a shower, now." The redhead mutters, pushing past her dumbstruck sister and moving to the bathroom.

Yang barely hears the door slam shut, just staring at the place Ruby had been standing with a slightly quivering lip. She… hadn't been expecting that from Ruby. Not her little sister. Her words had been so angry, so… frustrated… "I-I'm a terrible sister…" She murmurs, her earlier fire seeming to die a bit.

Blake slowly steps forward, hesitantly putting a hand to Yang's shoulder. "No, you aren't, Yang… She didn't mean that, surely. She's just disappointed. I'll make sure she knows that you actually made an enormous jump in understanding your History. Those kisses were just quick…"

"No, she's right! I haven't been spending enough time with her, I…!"

"Yang. Stop. Stop and think. Ruby loves you. You hold a special place in her heart and it's obvious every time she smiles at you. This is… just a little squabble, okay?"

Weiss stays silent as she watches Blake try to comfort an obviously disturbed Yang, who seems to be blaming herself for making her dear sister angry at her. She had noticed something… different about Ruby's person when Ruby had been speaking. An odd mark on her neck that Yang didn't seem to catch during Ruby's tirade. A searing, red bruise that appeared to be in the shape of someone's… lips? Weiss feels her heart drop at the thought, no, the IDEA of such a thing happening to Ruby. It had to be a mistake. Maybe she had caught the light funny or... or maybe she had injured it during training? Surely…

Or, what if something else is happening, here?

* * *

><p>Ruby glares at the mirror as she looks into it, her hands resting on the sink as silvery eyes glare back at her. "Stupid Yang, treating me like a kid all the time… Ignoring me until SHE thinks it's important to talk… I'm not a kid and I'm not an idiot. I don't need her to enjoy myself, anymore. She can go be with Blake all day long, for all I care."<p>

She recalls Cinder's words coming back to her, the conversation they had as the two had come back from the club.

"_Why do you base your life on other's schedules?" Cinder had asked, her hand stroking down Ruby's back in a way that made the redhead feel tingly all over. "Specifically, that sister of yours..."_

"_Well, when she does hang out with me, she's always fun to be with… I love her, after all… Mm…"_

"_Hm. Liked that, did you? What I'm saying is… You're not a child, anymore. For you to wait around for HER to decide when you do things you like doing is a tad silly, don't you think? That seems a little selfish to me."_

"_I don't know… What do you think?"_

"_I think your sister is trying to keep you naïve, the little girl she wants you to be. I think it's about time you took control of your own life. You ARE a woman, after all. A fine woman, at that…"_

"_R-Really?"_

"_Of course, Ruby…" At that she found herself pressed against the wall of the hallway, a searing tongue slipping up her neck and making her gasp. Her thoughts were quickly filling with a hot haze, the older woman's hands slipping down to tightly squeeze at her rear. "A very fine woman… Assert yourself to her, Ruby. You'll feel better, for it. You ARE upset with her, aren't you?"_

"_I-I… A-Ah… I- I AM pretty mad at her… S-She's probably just…"_

"_Spending all her time with her girlfriend… Making up excuses so she doesn't feel guilty about shutting her dearest little sister out…" Cinder moves to whisper in her ear, the hot tongue slipping around the shape of her skin. "That's repulsive, if you ask me. Show her, Ruby. Show her how angry it makes you… Don't just lie down and take it…"_

"_You're… You're right…"_

"_There's a good girl… Now… Give me a kiss."_

The thought of Cinder pressed into her like that makes the redhead huff gently, fiddling with the ends of her skirt as she slowly lets it slip down her body. Just imagining being touched like that is making her tingly all over again and eager to meet up with her girlfriend, tomorrow. She was feeling a little better after expelling her frustration, but she was sure that Cinder could take the rest away. The woman had a way of making Ruby forget her own name when she started doing all that… stuff she was doing.

Her hands move to start un-doing the ties of her corset, her eyes still looking into the mirror. She's surprised to see that her face is flushed and a small mark adorns her neck. Had Cinder left that? Wow… She's so enthusiastic…

"Oh, no.." Ruby squeaks, pressing her fingers gingerly to the mark. "She said to keep it secret… How am I supposed to do it with this mark on me? Um…"

Despite knowing little in terms of love, she knew a hickey when she saw one. Let's just say that Yang had pretty much no idea how to hide them, sometimes. Add that to Blake's sharp faunus teeth and you had a heck of a mark. If people saw this mark, there would be no question as to what had occurred. She was honestly lucky that Blake had been so preoccupied with her glances to Yang that she hadn't either seen the mark or smelled Cinder's rather intoxicating scent on her.

"Ok, Ruby, don't panic… Just… Think of something. Um, um…" She mumbles, pacing a little. Her eyes widen as she looks over and finds a small make-up kit near the sink, labeled with the Schnee logo. "That could work, but… What if Weiss finds out I used it? Would she be mad?"

She fiddles with her fingers a bit before deciding to 'just take a bit', leaving little rose petals behind as she quickly moves up to it. She opens the small kit with a little click before slapping her forehead with her hand. "AFTER your shower, you dummy. It'd just wash right off."

She quickly unties the rest of her corset and slips it off with her cloak, followed by her leggings and other assorted trinkets. She's left in her (admittedly childish) underwear, black with little roses on them. She tilts her head as she looks at her body, smiling gently and modestly covers herself a bit. It's then that she feels a light stinging on her bottom, biting her lip a bit before slowly slipping her underwear down. She turns around to see her back in the mirror and quietly gasps.

There were marks here, too. Right where Cinder had grabbed her.

They were redder than you'd imagine, seeming slightly more like a burn than a legitimate mark. She shivers again as the thought of the hands that left those marks play through her mind again. That cool, velvety voice that dripped with mystery…

_You ARE upset with her, aren't you?_

Ruby sighs and bites her lip as she reaches back to undo the clasps of her bra, thinking on those words as she steps toward the shower. Yes, she WAS upset at Yang and she had needed to let the blonde know that. She rarely EVER raised her voice in anger to her loving sister, but… Before Cinder came along, she had felt so lonely. Her sister just… didn't feel like her sister, anymore. Maybe growing apart was just something that happened in life. She could understand, somewhat, why Yang wanted to be around Blake. Not that it was very nice of her to use other things as an excuse to go be with her, but she could see the appeal of wanting to be with someone you liked.

She wasn't blind, she saw the effect the words had on her sister. But, she had needed that. Bottled-up frustrations that had grown for weeks were sent flying by Cinder, but she, to be honest, felt a little bad for yelling at Yang.

"I should, at least, apologize for the yelling… That wasn't nice of me. I could have handled that better." She murmurs, turning on the water and letting the refreshing warmth wash away the stress on her body. The marks tingled and stung a bit under the water, but eventually got a little better.

She made a mental note of things she had to do tonight. Finish your shower, cover your hickey, get dressed in your pajamas, and apologize to Yang for yelling… Then, go to sleep and dream sweet dreams, hopefully.

* * *

><p>Weiss watches the door to the bathroom carefully, her analytical mind creating a dozen scenarios a minute for what Ruby could have been doing this evening. She KNEW she hadn't seen that mark on Ruby's neck before she left. That HAD to be a hickey. She had seen enough on Yang to know what one looked like. How she got it was the question. Weiss feels her heart dropping again, that mark seeming to suggest that she had… been with someone else. Maybe… Maybe she wasn't? Maybe you still have a chance?<p>

Don't kid yourself, Schnee.

She said she was with a friend… Which friend? Penny, perhaps? That didn't seem right, though. Penny was awkward and clumsy, likely having nowhere near the accuracy to pull off that mark. Weiss doubts Penny would know anything of romance, anyway, without being directly told. It couldn't be anyone in JNPR, either. As, for one, they were out on a mission and, for two, she was certain none of them would leave marks like that. Well, maybe Nora, but anyone with half a brain could see that she was enamored with Ren. No, this had to be someone Weiss didn't know… That made it all the more worrying. And, disheartening. She should really say something to Yang about this. Ruby shouldn't be doing… things like that. It just didn't work in her eyes. Add that to the fact Ruby came back late and.. looked a bit flustered and you've got a blueprint for worry.

Yang is still rather shocked, as Weiss can see, and completely ignoring her girlfriend's attempts to calm her down. She appears to be looking toward the door, likely wondering what she can do to make things alright between the two again. Blake actually looks a tad cross with said door, apparently not liking what Ruby had to say very much. More likely because it is affecting Yang so much. She just wants things set straight, especially the statement of the two making up excuses to 'avoid' her. They never did such a thing. If she said they were going to study, she MEANT they were going to study. The little kisses they shared were more a small reassurance to Yang that she was doing well. As confident as Yang was in general and in battle, she didn't have very high confidence in her academics. She was more brilliant than she thought, she just needed to apply herself to it.

The fact that Ruby would accuse her sister of making excuses was more than a little angering for Blake to hear.

As the door opens, three pairs of eyes look up to the redheaded girl that they've all been thinking of in different respects. Weiss notes that the mark she had previously seen was completely gone, though her eidetic memory knows it was there. This was obviously something Ruby didn't want anyone to know she had. Suspicious…

Yang immediately shoots over to her smaller sister, her arms opening for a hug before hesitating in the air. "U-Um, Ruby, I…"

"Yang, don't. I'm… sorry I yelled. That wasn't nice of me, at all. I was just… kinda frustrated, y'know? I wanted to see my sister and be together like old times. I guess I just let it slip out in a tone I shouldn't have used. I should have handled it calmly and just told you about it… I'm sorry, Yang."

"Oh, sweetie…" Yang says softly, actually pulling Ruby into a gentle hug. "Sweetie, sweetie, you don't have to apologize… I know… I haven't been the best big sister I can be, lately. I see now how much my actions have hurt ya, sis… But, know that… whenever and wherever I happen to be, I'll always love you and I'll always be your sister, Ruby. I promise that those kisses were just little things, just something we did while I studied. I'm sure I'll ace the next History test, guaranteed!"

A nervous, quivering laugh comes from her sister, making her body move a little. "You're so important to me. I would never shut you out in a million years, okay? I love you so, so much, Ruby…"

Yang's hug turns tighter, but not uncomfortable. It's a warmth that Ruby is very familiar to, having spent cold nights at their home curled up with Yang under a big quilt. It was nice to have that back, nice to have gotten over this rough patch. "I guess we're both just big sillies, aren't we?" Ruby murmurs softly, closing her eyes a bit.

"We sure are. Say… I did so good at studying today, that I think I can take a day off of studying… Sooo… What do ya say we go out tomorrow an' do somethin'? I'll even go to that creepy pizza place ya like to go to!"

"That sounds nice, but… I kinda have plans with my friend in the evening. Is it okay if we go earlier in the day?"

"Yeah, whatever ya want, Ruby… So… Who's this mysterious friend ya met?"

Weiss' eyes are intense as she listens in, realizing that this could help her fit the puzzle pieces together. She has to know who the person who gave her that mark is and this 'friend' seemed like a likely suspect for that. Not that she was going to butt in, if Ruby was happy. Though, she may have a curt discussion for doing such things with a girl as young as Ruby. If SHE had gotten together, she would keep things simple. Yes, very simple. Certainly NOT something as vulgar as sucking the neck. Modest things that showed love. The holding of hands, a kiss on the lips, amorous hugs.. Why was her mind wandering with these thoughts all of a sudden? For the millionth time today, she must remind herself to stay focused on the matter at hand.

"Oh, it's not that important… She's just a very nice girl who saw me when I was feelin' down. She offered to go with me to a buncha the places I wanted to go. She's kinda shy, so she doesn't really want to meet anyone yet…" Ruby says with a smile, completely leaving out the kissing, the touching, and the sweaty, erotic nightclub.

"Ah. Well, you just tell 'er to keep track of the time, alright? I know you're old enough to walk around all on your own, but I still get worried, sometimes…" Yang says, giving Ruby a little kiss on her forehead. "And, that I wanna meet 'er, if she's ever comfortable enough to meet me. Your friends are okay with me!"

"I'll ask her, Yang. Don't worry."

"Well, in that case… How 'bout we all go out for some late-night coffee an' donuts? We all been through the ringer, today."

A quick agreement is made (though Ruby loudly proclaims that she won't be drinking any coffee) and three teammates begin to get dressed for a quick trip down to the café. One stands with a suspicious look on her face, watching Ruby throw her cloak on. "What's wrong?"

Weiss jumps a bit when Blake murmurs quiet words to her, her cheeks turning red. "I-I, what?" She stammers, quickly looking to the faunus with a nervous expression.

Blake's eyes slip to a half-lidded dullness, a cat ear flicking briefly. "You were staring like you had something on your mind, Weiss."

The heiress sighs, taking a slow look back at Ruby. "I… I think that there's more going on with her than she's letting on. She was… somewhere today, but it certainly wasn't a cookie shop. I saw a mark on her neck, Blake. A mark."

"A mark? Weiss, you're getting bent out of shape for a mark? In case you hadn't noticed, we get a lot of marks from our schooling."

"That's NOT what I meant."

"Weiss, I'm sure Ruby isn't doing anything that would be cause for concern. She's a good girl. I mean, she still watches that _Hunters_ cartoon while munching on sugary cereals. I think she's a good portrait of an innocent girl. That lashing out was just... frustration. Everybody gets frustrated, even Ruby."

"I hope you are right, Blake." Weiss murmurs as she looks at the redhead, who is now giggling with her sister. She looks just as innocent as ever, like that anger before had never happened. All traces of anything suspicious seemed to be gone, leaving the Ruby everyone loved to be the main focus. Weiss' face falls a bit, letting a soft sigh pass through her lips as she watches the girl she has come to love. "I really hope you are right."

* * *

><p>"So, you made it, after all.. I was beginning to think that you weren't going to show…"<p>

"I-I'm sorry, Cinder… I was out with my sister and we got a little off-track. I mean, I kept telling her I should probably go, but she gave me her puppy dog eyes and she looks really pitiful, so I couldn't say no to that face, I mean, I bet even a cool girl like you would fall for those eyes, but-"

She's cut off as a hot kiss is pressed hard into her lips, Cinder's slick tongue pressing dominantly into her mouth. Ruby's face lights up in a deep blush, squeaking as she tries to keep up with her more experienced girlfriend. Cinder chuckles lowly into the smaller girl's lips, letting a small 'pop' disconnect the kiss. "You talk too much."

"S-Sorry… S-S-So, where do you want to go?" Ruby squeaks in a tiny voice, panting slightly as she looks up at the glowing eyes that stare right into her.

"I was thinking of just staying here, for the evening… Have some… alone time." Cinder says, her voice almost a purr as her hands start to slip down Ruby's back. Each word is accented with a slow stroke at the small of her back, making the redhead shiver. "What do you think?"

Ruby can't believe how INTO her Cinder is, seeming to not be able to keep her hands of the young girl when they're together. It's a pretty big confidence boost for a girl who doesn't really find herself growing as much as she feels she should. For Cinder to like her body enough to keep touching it like this… It feels good.

"I-I-I g-guess…" Ruby mumbles, her face lighting up as Cinder's fingers play with the ends of her skirt. A small whimper escapes her lips as the hot, lean fingers slip under her skirt, pressing against the marks she had left behind the last time. They sting a bit upon touch, making the redhead wince a bit.

Cinder grins and squeezes the tender areas, making the smaller girl whimper a little more. Her lips slowly move to the girl's ear, teeth nipping and tugging at her earlobe. "You're shaking, Ruby… You like this, don't you?"

"Y-Yes~"

"I'll admit, I couldn't stop thinking about yesterday… I was thinking about you ALL night…" Cinder growls, her hands pressing tighter against the marks through Ruby's underwear. She loves the needy whimpers of this small girl. The poor darling… She doesn't even know what she wants… But, Cinder knows what SHE wants. She certainly has a number of ideas that she wants to try out on this innocent rose. Such an easy mold… A pup eager to please her master… Her little pet that she can do whatever she wants to toward. "Mm. When I let go of you, I want you to go inside and get on my bed… You'll be able to tell which one is mine by the color, my sweet."

Ruby can't believe this is happening, can't believe that Cinder is inviting her into her room. She doesn't know what to expect from this, but the way her girlfriend was touching her was making her small body light up in all manner of heat was unbelievably enjoyable. She's given no other option but to nod and try to follow orders.

Except, Cinder stops her.

"What are you going to do, again?" Cinder asks lowly, her amber eyes glowing into flustered silver as she speaks.

"U-Um.. G-G-Get on your b-bed?"

"Good girl…" She replies, taking another firm squeeze on Ruby's rear that makes the marks sting again. She whines again, drawing a low laugh from the older woman. Her arms soon slip off and she crosses them across her chest. "Now, go."

The redhead scrambles to get inside the dorm room, but stops dead in her tracks when she sees that two people are already here. A man and a woman, both somewhat familiar, but entirely strangers otherwise. She gasps quietly, blushing even more. "U-Uh… H-Hello…"

"Hm. She IS pretty cute." The woman (with odd green hair) says with a smirk, eyes scanning over Ruby. It makes the girl very uncomfortable, especially with how flustered she is. She certainly didn't expect other people to be here, especially with how Cinder was touching her. "What's your name, sweetie?"

"R-Ruby Rose…" She mumbles, wondering where her girlfriend is and why she's taking so long to come help her. "W-What's yours?"

"My name's Emerald. My partner, here, is Mercury. Say hello, Mercury- Oh, for the love of love of Remnant, stop staring at the girl like she's a meal."

"Who's staring? I was just getting a look at Cinder's new…"

"Sweetheart?"

"There you go. Anyway, Ruby, we've certainly heard a lot about you from Cinder. We're her friends, so forgive our sudden interest. Cinder talks very highly of you, so we wanted to see if all the hype was warranted."

"A-And?"

"Well, you're an awfully _cute_ girl…" Mercury says with a smile, nodding his head kindly. "A little on the stuttery side, but I suppose it can't be helped with Cinder. She has the tendency to touch, after all. Take good care of her, alright? She's important to us…"

Mercury shares a slow look with Emerald, who nods in response and takes over. "Best friends forever, that's us~"

"Ah, Mercury, Emerald… I see you've met Ruby…" The familiar velvety voice purrs from behind Ruby, warm arms soon slipping around the girl's waist and pulling her gently back. "Not that I don't enjoy your company, but would you give us a while? We have some… private lessons to be taught."

Ruby's blush grows even brighter, Emerald and Mercury exchanging glances before getting up to leave. "Yeah, Cinder. Of course. We'll see you later. Contact us on your scroll when you two.. hehehe… finish up.."

As soon as the door closes, Ruby is turned around and glowing eyes look down on her. "I thought I told you to be on the bed, Ruby… Mm. Why don't you do that, now, while I get ready? Take your cloak off, first, but nothing else."

"I-I, C-Cinder… D-Do you think we're going a little… f-fast?"

"Not at all. You trust me, don't you?"

"O-Of course I do!"

"Then, have no more worries..." Cinder murmurs, letting her newly untied blouse slip off her body. It reveals a tight, black bra that draws Ruby's focus and cut off her sounds of hesitance. The dark-haired girl saunters over, pinning Ruby down to the bed with an almost predatory grin. "And, let me take care of everything…"

* * *

><p>Weiss walks briskly through the evening air, a bag with a few books she bought inside it being carried in her left hand. Her rapier lightly clinks in its holster as her legs move, ever present on her hip in case of danger. She had wanted to pick up these books for some research, but had needed to go to an entirely different store. As, for some reason, Tukson's Book Trade was completely empty and seemingly gone from the town. A real shame. She always liked the wide selection in that store. Not that the new store was BAD… She had just needed to look a little harder to get the research books she needed.<p>

But, that wasn't the only thing she had gotten. She blushes as she remembers the other book in her bag, biting at her lip. It was a comic book. Yes, Weiss Schnee (the heiress of the Schnee Dust Corporation) had bought a comic book. The clerk had certainly thought her to be strange. After all, how many times do you see the equivalent of a princess buying a comic book?

Not often, apparently.

She had gotten it for a reason, though. For, this particular comic book was called '_Red Hood_'. It was about a Red Riding Hood-esque girl named Sophia and her adventures in the forest against hordes of evil baddies. It reminded her so much of Ruby (and she knew the redhead had a love of all things nerdy) that she simply had to buy it.

This particular issue had Sophia fighting against the wicked whispers of a temptress, a fact that made Weiss somewhat disturbed.

Shaking off the feeling of dread that shivers up her spine in response, spotting a coffee shop and deciding that was exactly what she needed. "Coffee will surely calm me down."

She walks in and slowly takes her place in line, sighing when she sees how long the line is. This is going to take forever. You might as well get comfortable, Schnee. She slowly takes the comic book out of her bag and flips through it. The art inside was certainly attractive, even if she had no idea what 'Biff' or 'Pow' meant. She assumed the sounds of punching? As she reads, she becomes vaguely aware of a quiet conversation in front of her. Some man and woman, nothing too abnormal about that.

"Well, we got kicked out of the room pretty fast. Cinder must be serious about this one…"

"You think? Was the look in her eyes too much information for you? Just be glad she didn't start right there."

"I would have watched."

"Mercury, you're a real sick bastard."

"That's what they say. Besides, can you really blame me? Ruby was pretty cute. And, the way Cinder was going at her like that… I wouldn't be surprised if she broke her tonight. She'd be pretty fun to watch-"

Mercury's words are cut off when he feels the pointy end of a rapier poking into the back of his neck, craning his head back to find a glaring heiress staring holes right into him. Emerald looks back in slight surprise, not expecting this seemingly random attack.

"Ruby is MY friend, thank you. And, you're going to tell me where she is…" Weiss growls, her brow furrowing tightly. The rapier presses a little harder, her glare intensifying as her suspicions come to light.

"And, who this 'Cinder' is."


End file.
